German goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen of FC Barcelona announced today, Thursday, that he will undergo surgery to treat back pain he has been suffering from, which will result in him being sidelined for nearly three months.

Ter Stegen wrote on his official account on the 'X' platform: "I wear the colors and jersey of FC Barcelona with great pride, both on and off the field, in moments of success or in difficult times, today is a tough day for me personally."

He added: "I feel that I am in very good physical and athletic condition, although unfortunately I am still suffering from pain. After extensive discussions with the medical team of FC Barcelona and external experts, it turned out that the fastest and safest way to achieve full recovery is back surgery."

The German goalkeeper continued: "After my last back surgery, I returned to the field after 66 days, which is almost two months. This time, the doctors believe that the recovery period will take about three months as a precautionary measure to ensure my safety."

He concluded by saying: "Emotionally, it hurts me a lot not to be able to support the team during this time, but fortunately the rehabilitation process can be managed and the path to return is set. I will keep you updated on my recovery, and I would like to sincerely thank you all, dear Barcelona fans, for always standing by my side."